Home >> Science & Nature >> Nature

What Kind of Weather Do Stratocumulus Clouds Have?

Clouds are like the street signs of the skies, often providing visual indicators related to the changing nature of weather. By learning to read the different types of clouds, you can accurately predict the type of weather you are likely to encounter. In the case of stratocumulus clouds, they primarily indicate an end of precipitation and unchanging conditions in the short-term future. They may also be an sign of windy weather.

Stratocumulus Clouds
- Clouds are typically classified according to their height. Stratocumulus clouds are members of the low group, which occur between the surface and 6,500 feet. However, in the case of stratocumulus clouds, they rarely occur below 2,000 feet. They appear as a low layer of lumpy, or undulating, clouds. They range in color from light grey to dark grey.
Stratocumulus Effects on Weather
- Stratocumulus clouds generally indicate a stabilization of weather, meaning that current conditions are unlikely to dramatically change in the near future. They can produce light drizzle or snowfall; however, they are not commonly associated with precipitation. In some cases, they can be associated with moderate to strong winds, while at other times they are associated with light winds. The type of winds encountered is related to the type of frontal boundary the clouds are associated with.
Warm Front Development
- Low-pressure systems are associated with cloudy conditions and precipitation near their centers. These cloud layers are typically stratus in nature. Warm fronts typically extend to the east from these low-pressure systems. Here, warm moist air is gradually forced to rise above the cooler air in place to the north. This lifting produces instability in the atmosphere, which allows for limited vertical development within the stratus cloud layer. This creates stratocumulus clouds. Due to the slow advance of warm fronts, these stratocumulus clouds can linger for quite a while, though they signal the end of any meaningful precipitation associated with the passing of the front.
Cold Front Development
- Low-pressure systems also generate cold fronts that extend southwest from the pressure center. As these fronts advance, they plow under the warm moist air, causing rapid uplifting. This generates the thunderstorms that occur along cold fronts. However, behind the cold front, this vertical development begins to dissolve, leading to a horizontal spreading. This can produce layers of stratocumulus clouds, especially closer to the center of low pressure. Again, these clouds signal the end of meaningful precipitation. Furthermore, they indicate a stabilization of the weather that will eventually lead to clearing skies. These stratocumulus clouds are typically associated with gusty winds.
Product of Turbulent Air
- Stratocumulus clouds can also be produced by low-level turbulence. This occurs when strong surface winds interact with rough terrain. The friction between the ground and air produces irregular up and down drafts, causing a stratus cloud layer to form an undulating base. This typically occurs with an atmospheric temperature inversion, where temperatures rise with altitude rather than dropping. Temperature inversions prohibit vertical movement, locking the turbulence into the low-level stratus layer. While gusty winds are commonly associated with this type of cloud layer, precipitation is not.

Nature